The first step is to create a benchmark for the job you are seeking to fill. The benchmark defines the skills and abilities that you are looking for in your new hire. Have the candidate take an assessment. Use an assessment system that has validated data for the job. The assessment system should measure different areas. For example, measuring competencies and critical thinking skills will show if a candidate possesses the skills to perform the job. Measuring values and behaviors will assist you in determining whether a candidate is a good fit for your organization.

Once your hire has been made, use the assessment data as on onboarding tool. This allows you to work with your new hire on his/her strengths and to define areas for development and growth. For example, the competencies and critical thinking skills that are used in the hiring process can also be used to measure and evaluate your employee’s progress. These same measurements can be used for coaching and training.

Using assessments throughout the employee life cycle will:

• Facilitate the collecting of meaningful data to assist you in your hiring decisions.
• Provide a backbone to which other Talent Assessment functions can be linked.
• Provide insight into the ROI and value of talent and the hiring process.
• Gage the new hires against the company’s culture, values, and strategic drivers.
• Aid in the legal defensibility of the hiring process.

Katherine Graham-Leviss is the founder and president of XBInsight, a state-of-the-art talent assessment company that gives executives the actionable information they need to make smart people-decisions. She is the author of The Perfect Hire: A Tactical Guide To Hiring, Developing and Retaining Top Sales Talent and High-Maintenance Employees: Why Your Best People Will Also Be Your Most Difficult…and What You Can Do About It.